A new study of nearly 1,000 American kids aged 8-15 found that when young people try to lose weight because of teasing about their body size, it actually backfires. Instead of getting healthier, these kids showed signs of stress on their bodies—like higher blood pressure and inflammation markers—and were twice as likely to skip meals. The research suggests that shaming kids about their weight doesn’t motivate healthy changes. Instead, it triggers unhealthy behaviors and physical stress responses that could lead to serious health problems down the road.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether kids who try to lose weight because of teasing about their body size end up healthier or if the teasing actually causes harm
  • Who participated: 957 children between ages 8 and 15 from across the United States who were trying to lose weight, surveyed between 2005 and 2012
  • Key finding: Kids motivated by weight-based teasing had higher blood pressure, more inflammation in their bodies, and were twice as likely to skip meals compared to kids trying to lose weight for other reasons
  • What it means for you: If you or someone you know is trying to lose weight because of teasing, know that the stress from that teasing is actually making your body less healthy, not more. Healthy weight changes work better when they come from self-care goals, not shame.

The Research Details

Researchers looked at information collected from a large national health survey of American families between 2005 and 2012. They identified nearly 1,000 kids aged 8-15 who were actively trying to lose weight and asked them why they were trying to lose weight. Some kids said they were trying because of teasing about their weight, while others gave different reasons like wanting to be healthier or more athletic. The researchers then compared blood tests and health measurements between these two groups to see if there were differences in their physical health markers.

This research approach is important because it captures real-world data from actual kids rather than just studying adults or doing experiments in labs. By comparing kids with different motivations for weight loss, researchers could see if the reason behind the weight loss attempt actually matters for health outcomes. This helps us understand whether shame-based motivation is actually helpful or harmful.

This study used data from a well-respected national health survey that carefully measures health information in representative samples of Americans. The researchers measured actual physical markers like blood pressure and inflammation rather than just asking kids how they felt. However, because this is a snapshot in time rather than following kids over years, we can’t be completely certain about cause and effect—we can only see that these things happen together.

What the Results Show

Kids who were trying to lose weight because of teasing had notably higher diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in a blood pressure reading) compared to kids trying to lose weight for other reasons. They also had higher levels of C-reactive protein, which is a marker that shows inflammation happening in the body. These are concerning findings because high blood pressure and inflammation in children can lead to serious heart and blood vessel problems later in life.

Perhaps most striking, kids motivated by teasing were twice as likely to skip meals as a weight loss strategy. Skipping meals is particularly harmful for growing children because it deprives their bodies and brains of necessary fuel and nutrients. This unhealthy eating pattern is linked to many other health problems including weakened bones, poor school performance, and disordered eating patterns that can persist into adulthood.

Interestingly, the researchers also measured something called ‘allostatic load,’ which is a way of measuring total stress on the body from multiple systems. While the teasing-motivated group showed some signs of higher stress load, this difference wasn’t quite large enough to be statistically significant, meaning we can’t be completely confident it’s a real difference.

The study found that weight-based teasing was not associated with changes in metabolic biomarkers (the chemical markers that show how the body processes food and energy). This suggests that the harm from teasing-based motivation comes more through behavioral changes like skipping meals and through stress responses like elevated blood pressure and inflammation, rather than through direct changes in how the body metabolizes food.

This research builds on earlier studies in adults that showed weight-based stigma and teasing are linked to worse heart health and higher inflammation. This new study extends that finding to children and shows that the problem starts early. It also provides a mechanism—unhealthy eating behaviors and stress responses—that might explain why teasing doesn’t help and actually hurts. The findings contradict the sometimes-heard argument that ‘fat shaming’ motivates people to make healthy changes; instead, it appears to trigger stress and unhealthy coping behaviors.

This study captures information at one point in time, so we can’t be completely sure whether the teasing caused the health problems or if kids with existing health issues were more likely to be teased. The study also relied on kids and parents reporting why weight loss was being attempted, which might not always be completely accurate. Additionally, we don’t know what happened to these kids over time—did the health problems get worse, stay the same, or improve? Finally, the study looked at kids from 2005-2012, so some findings might be different in today’s kids who grow up with social media and different cultural pressures.

The Bottom Line

If you’re a parent or educator: Focus on helping kids develop healthy habits for their own wellbeing rather than using shame or teasing about weight. If you’re a young person being teased about your weight: Know that the teasing is causing real physical harm to your body, and seeking support from trusted adults, counselors, or health professionals is important. If you’re considering weight loss: Talk with a doctor or nutritionist about healthy approaches that don’t involve skipping meals or responding to shame. (Moderate confidence—based on solid data but would benefit from longer-term studies)

Parents, teachers, coaches, and other adults who interact with children should care about this research because it shows that weight-based teasing is actively harming kids’ health. Kids who are being teased should know this isn’t their fault and that the stress response is real. Healthcare providers should be aware that kids trying to lose weight due to teasing may need extra support and monitoring for unhealthy eating behaviors and elevated blood pressure. This research is less relevant for adults, though similar patterns likely apply to them as well.

The health changes measured in this study (elevated blood pressure and inflammation) can develop relatively quickly in response to stress and unhealthy eating patterns—potentially within weeks to months. However, the long-term consequences of these changes (like heart disease) typically develop over years. This means intervention and support should start as soon as teasing or shame-based weight loss attempts are noticed, before these patterns become established.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily meal completion and mood/stress levels alongside any weight-related goals. Specifically, log whether three regular meals were eaten each day and rate stress level (1-10) to identify patterns between emotional stress and skipping meals.
  • Instead of tracking weight loss due to external pressure, use the app to set and monitor positive health goals like ’eat three balanced meals daily,’ ‘drink enough water,’ and ‘do activities I enjoy.’ This shifts focus from shame-based motivation to self-care motivation.
  • Establish a long-term tracking system that monitors meal patterns, stress levels, and how the user feels physically and emotionally. Set reminders for regular meals and check-ins with trusted adults or health providers. Use the app to celebrate consistent healthy eating patterns rather than weight changes, reinforcing that health comes from positive behaviors, not shame.

This research shows an association between weight-based teasing and certain health markers in children, but it does not prove that teasing directly causes these health problems. If you or a young person in your care is experiencing weight-based teasing or struggling with eating behaviors, please consult with a healthcare provider, school counselor, or mental health professional. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice. Anyone concerned about blood pressure, inflammation, or eating patterns should seek evaluation from a qualified healthcare provider.